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DORO PESCH On Past Life Regression, RONNIE JAMES DIO

Niclas Müller-Hansen of Sweden’s Metalshrine recently conducted an interview with German metal queen Doro Pesch. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Metalshrine: The times we are living in are a lot about gossip, bad reality shows where people are hurtful to each other and they say stupid stuff. It is a bit of a different society these days. I always find it admirable when people are like you and I feel I’m a bit like you and I try to see the positive stuff and I try to treat people in a kind way. One of the things I’ve thought of the last couple of years is that the main thing in life is about being a good person and to do good.

Doro: I couldn’t agree with you more. Actually, I’ve got one little story to tell you and it’s proof of that. On two occasions I did a past life regression and a year ago it was with a lady from Switzerland and you could tell that she knew that stuff. You look into her eyes and… yeah, she’s a very wise woman. I didn’t know if it would work but she said, “Lay down on the couch and relax.” And I said, “No, it doesn’t work with me.” And then she said, “Tell me what you have on! Look at your feet!” and I looked at my feet and I started laughing. It was so funny and she said, “What’s so funny?” and I said, “I have the weirdest shoes on. They are like little slippers. Where are my high heels or biker boots?” Then she said, “Well, look up!”. You have your eyes closed during this, you’re in a trance but you can still talk. I looked up and I had these weird clothes on and they were very uncomfortable and suddenly I was in this past life. I was a woman and I was in Hungary. It was pretty bad and I was hungry all the time and times were really tough. I saw myself on a horse, riding like crazy trying to warn the farmers of something and there was a war going on. This was a TV thing and for me it was interesting but to them it was not that interesting. Then I went into another lifetime and I was a guy and I was huge. I almost looked like Gerard Depardieu, like a butcher. It was 1648 in Dubrovnik and I’d never been there. We never played there. I was not so good and I was out with whores and drinking beer. It was unbelievable! I was married to a beautiful woman but she was boring and had two kids. Then they called me back for another TV thing and I said, “Yeah, it would be very interesting to do it again,” so I went back and I actually saw myself dying in jail. I was sentenced to life and I was bad. I saw myself dying and then I saw something like my soul or something and it came out through my head and it formed into a light, like a little sun or a comet and then my whole conscience and all my feelings were in that thing and I looked down on my body and I was very sad and then another lifetime started. Then the lady said, “OK, now you’ve gotta come back!” and she woke me up and said, “Tell me the first thought that comes to mind!” and my first thought was that “You have to do good in life.That’s the most important thing.” It’s very simple, but it’s very important. Maybe that’s why now I’m a little girl, because I overdid it. I had too much fun and I didn’t care, so now I care. [laughs]

Metalshrine: Ronnie James Dio then? What did he mean to you?

Doro: When I first met him, I couldn’t even speak English. It was in the ’80s and it was my second tour. I think it was ’87. The first one was with JUDAS PRIEST and it was my first time in Sweden and then with Ronnie James Dio in ’87 and we had a great relationship but it was limited. We didn’t really talk much. It was in the ’80s and these big productions and there wasn’t actually much time to talk. Then I did a song for a Dio tribute album, “Egypt (The Chains Are On)” and then times in the ’90s were difficult when grunge was so big. Finally metal was coming back a little bit and I went to the “Magica” release party in New York. I went there and I said, “Hey Ronnie, congratulations to your new album!” and he said, “Oh, I’m so glad you’re here. I wanted to tell you that I love the song you did for the tribute album!” Later on I was listening to the radio and Ronnie was on doing an interview and the DJ said “OK, what song do you wanna hear?” and he said “Let’s hear ‘Egypt (The Chains Are On)’.” and it was our version. I was ready to cry and I was so touched. Then I did an interview with KNAC and my record was just being finished, “Calling The Wild” and then the lady asked me “So, any touring plans for the States?” and I said “Yeah, of course we wanna go on tour. Maybe opening up for somebody or do our own headlining tour in the clubs.” She said, “How about a tour with Ronnie James Dio?” and I said, “Yeah, that would be awesome!” She then said “He’s calling in an hour. Should I suggest it?” and she did. We ended up on tour together a couple of weeks later and it was the best tour in my life. It meant so much when metal came back in the States. I gave my life insurance to go on tour for the tour bus and the crew. It costs you and the record companies didn’t do any tour support anymore. We went on tour together and it was the best tour. It meant so much. We went to Florida and I was watching the show every night and sometimes we went out to dinner, the whole crew and bands and it was so good. I remember Ronnie loved Indian food so we always went to Indian restaurants. At one of the last shows in Florida I was sitting next to the stage and suddenly Ronnie left the stage and the manager said, “You know what’s coming, right?” I said “No.” and then he said, “You’re up!” and Ronnie came with a second microphone and on the last shows we did a couple of songs together. He was so inspiring and every night I watched the show. Even when he was exhausted and sick he gave it his all and he always took the time to greet every fan and write the autographs. I just thought, “I can learn from the best.” We had a good vibe going. He didn’t tell me, but he told some journalist that he was working on “Magica” 2 and 3 and that he wanted to do something together with me. I would’ve loved to do that. Who knows, maybe there is another life? [laughs]